Laura Robertson Tops $5,000 Royal Pony Jumper Final at 2015 Royal Horse Show®

In front of a hometown crowd, Laura Robertson of Toronto,ON, claimed the $5,000 Royal PonyJumper Final, presented by William Tilford and Marion Cunningham of Marbill Hill Farm on Sunday, November 15, at the Royal Horse Show®. (Photo: Ben Radvanyi Photography)

Toronto, Ontario – Laura Robertson of Toronto, ON, topped the $5,000 Royal Pony Jumper Final, presented by William Tilford and Marion Cunningham of Marbill Hill Farm, on Sunday, November 15, at the Royal Horse Show®. The competition officially closed out The 93rd Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in downtown Toronto, ON. In a fairytale ending to the Royal Horse Show, Robertson and a chestnut pony called Royal took top call in the featured class for pony jumpers. Pony-size speed was showcased as Royal, owned by Charlotte Millar, carried Robertson to victory over 14 entries. They were the fastest of three double-clear efforts breaking the timer beam in a blistering 27.36 seconds.

More than two seconds behind Robertson, second-place rider Raphaelle Ferreira of Prevost, QC, stopped the clock at 29.90 seconds riding her own Montreux. Ferreira's top finish, coupled with a sixth-place ribbon in the $2,500 Royal Pony Jumper Welcome held Saturday, November 14 clinched her the Royal Pony Jumper Championship. Camille Huppe of St. Eustache, QC, aboard Texas, owned by Susana Tezanos-Moreno collected third on Sunday with a 31.03-second jump-off time. They were also second on Saturday to earn the Reserve Champion title.

Melinda Dupont of Mount Albert, ON, and her own Snapchat were clean over the original track to advance to the jump-off, but suffered elimination to settle in fourth. Jumping to the fastest four-fault effort in the first round, Grace Munro of Wolfville, NS, rounded out the top five in the irons of her own Ever So Clever.

Laura Robertson of Toronto,ON, is joined by presenting sponsors Marion Cunningham and William Tilford of Marbill Hill Farm after winning the $5,000 Royal Pony Jumper Final on the final day of the Royal Horse Show®. (Photo: Ben Radvanyi Photography)

Kilby Brunner Deforest topped the $2,500 Royal Pony Jumper Welcome, the first class of the division, on Saturday. Her partner was Barkway Topaz, an English-bred Welsh pony owned by her mother, Kirsten Brunner. Barkway Topaz did double duty at the Royal Horse Show®, also showing in driving competition with his owner.

The Royal Pony Jumper Division celebrated its third year calling The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair home, and welcomed riders from four provinces – Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island – to Ricoh Coliseum. The division's two classes were generously presented by William Tilford and Marion Cunningham, who were in attendance on Sunday to congratulate the riders on their accomplishments.

“Pony jumpers are the first step in developing riders that can go forward, think on the fly, and handle a wide variety of obstacles, terrain and approaches,” said Cunningham, who operates Marbill Hill Farm in Bradford West Gwillimbury, ON. “We are proud to support this competition at the Royal Horse Show®, and proud to encourage the future of show jumping sport.”

Raphaelle Ferreira of Prevost, QC, accepts the Royal Pony Jumper Championship from Marion Cunningham and William Tilford of Marbill Hill Farm after a second-place finish on Sunday at the Royal Horse Show®. (Photo: Ben Radvanyi Photography)

After ten days of top competition, featuring pint-sized ponies and World Cup Champions alike, the Royal Horse Show wrapped its 2015 season with excitement already building for the event in 2016, which will return to downtown Toronto November 4-13, 2016.

For more information on the Royal Horse Show, the marquee event of The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, please visit www.royalfair.org.

Funding support for The Royal has been provided by the City of Toronto and the Government of Ontario.

$5,000 Royal Pony Jumper Final, presented by William Tilford and Marion Cunningham
Sunday, November 15